I agree with Flora that fashion, history and sociology are tightly linked.
Take certain colors (purple in ancient Rome for example): producing the dye was very costly, use of it was limited to certain classes and signified social rank and wealth just like a Hermes bag does now.
In Northern Europe at various times, certain styles of dress (use of color and pattern) have been regulated by legislation and taxation. (Again, to show people's class membership but also as a form of a luxury tax / tax on conspicuous consumption). There were rules about how many stripes your cloth could have and how much lace was allowed. This of course meant people went in to a lot of trouble to make the impression that they belonged to a higher class using allowed materials.
I think I'm terribly individual when I choose an outfit, but the formulas are in place to show group membership and aspirations (skinnies, tunic, the right boots when I want to underline that I am a new mother - a breton really drives it home) - suit, structured jacket when I want to convey authority and financial independence (see what emancipation / feminism did to clothes - women adopted menswear), a designer dress, designer bag and chunky jewellery ("I belong here" even if I don't, "I am someone important" even if I am not).
Now we want to think we live in a pluralistic society, and everything is in fashion, but our society is full of groups who enforce a strict dress code (goths, various other street culture groups; bankers and other professionals; art students/ creatives; celebrities and celebrity wannabes; religious groups and orders). I think MN has a fairly strict dress code too (mum boot and jean threads).
Even the history of polyester is interesting. It's imitation silk, essentially plastic, made from oil for pennies, so that the masses could wear something that looked and felt almost like silk.
Does any elderly relative of yours hate viscose? It was all that was available during wartime rationing when cotton and wool were scarce and reserved for uniforms. My grandmother associated viscose/ramie with hard times (wood and paper shoes worn in winter).
Could go on but getting out of breath